About Jacob Henry Ball, UEL

Jacob Ball who was captured in June 1813 The parole,signed and dated in May 1814, is a declaration that he will not bear arms against the United States during the war. He also wrote near the end that he would not act, directly or indirectly, in any way that might violate the privilege he had received. It also states that the parole was “preceded by John Smith, Esquire, Marshal of the District of Pennsylvania, under the authority of the said United States.” Ball was a Captain in the Lincoln Regiment in the Niagara area.

On June 19, 1813 he was taken prisoner by the US forces that invaded Niagara and walked 350 miles from Albany (the fort)to Batavia, Canandaigria, Geneva and Utica, NY in 57 days. He was granted 500 acres of which 200 were in right of his wife, being a daughter of a UEL. He inherited land in Caistor and Grantham from his father. He lived on a parcel of 150 acres in Thorold. There is a receipt among the Ball family papers which reads as follows: "Received, Pittsfield, Oct 15, 1813, from US of A. by Jas. Prince, Marshal of the District of Mass., 10 dollars on account of my subsistence as a prisoner of war to the US on Parvle, agreeably to the Cartel for the exchange of P.of W., established on the 12th day of May, 1813, for which I have signed duplicates. Jacob Ball (signature)